I am using avast free anti virus for my laptop. Is it enough or what is the best affordable anti virus software available online?

GuitarBob

Joined: 09 Jul 2006

Posts: 4365

Location: USA

Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2012 7:31 am

The free version of Avast will provide good, basic protection for your laptop. You can help it by not downloading email attachments from unknown sources and by avoiding web sites that offer porn and cracked software. If you want some extra protection, ClamWin can provide it. ClamWin also does not scan in real-time like Avast and so does not consume excess computer resources until it does an on-demand/scheduled scan. Just exclude ClamWin's program directory and data directory from Avast's scans.

Regards,

mspenser

Joined: 04 Mar 2012

Posts: 1

Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2012 5:38 pm

I have a paid version of Avast second year. I do not like the voice message all the time I am receiving when updates are made. No other complains.

avast antivirus

techsec

Joined: 07 Mar 2012

Posts: 1

Location: Australia

Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 4:55 pm

I too am running Avast Free. My question: With a real time software program is there anything at all we can do to eliminate or reduce the amount of processing speed the real time program uses, any tweaks or additional add-ons which would benefit?

Also, i understand Clamwin is 'on-demand' and i understand the benfits associated with that, but how frequently is it updated?

Thanks

RH

GuitarBob

Joined: 09 Jul 2006

Posts: 4365

Location: USA

Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 6:22 pm

Microsoft Security Essentials is the only AV I am aware of that lets the user select a limit to the processing speed. You have to live with whatever the other AVs are set up for. ClamWin, by the way, has an option under its Advanced configuration tab to make its scans either low priority (default) or normal priority.

The Clam AV people provide the scanning engine and signature databases used by ClamWin. There are usually from 2 to 10 or so signature updates during the day--every couple of hours or so. Clam has only one full-time sigmaker, but its Sourcefire parent schedules some of its employees to work signatures when their job permits. There are also a couple of open source sigmakers who also work on signatures as their time allows.

Regards,

ultimos

Joined: 08 Mar 2012

Posts: 1

Location: Baguio, Benguet

Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 5:12 am

Try using ESET NOD 32. I think this anti-virus software is better.

tyrionchase

Joined: 08 Mar 2012

Posts: 1

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 12:06 pm

As per my experience with Avast free antivirus, it is capable of protecting your computer from most threats. It also has a real-time scanner which protects you online. Also, I used ClaimWin on another laptop and it can really do the job. I dunno, but it depends on preference. Avast and ClaimWin can do it without a doubt.

katiepecbvda

Joined: 09 Mar 2012

Posts: 2

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 2:33 am

My question is which is better: Avast or ClamWin or is it a good idea to have both? I just want as much coverage as possible for my computer for free.

sabrina

Joined: 09 Mar 2012

Posts: 1

Location: US

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 4:36 am

I would suggest you to use Comodo AV which is best for your pc. It keeps your pc away from both internal and external attacks.

GuitarBob

Joined: 09 Jul 2006

Posts: 4365

Location: USA

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 9:04 pm

Please remember that these forums are devoted the ClamWin free, open source antivirus program. Many of the commercial/free AVs have forums just like this that are devoted to their product.

Regards,

firebladex

Joined: 14 Mar 2012

Posts: 2

Location: Singapore

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 9:55 am

Both claimWin and Avast are good. I've got both on my PC

GuitarBob

Joined: 09 Jul 2006

Posts: 4365

Location: USA

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 11:53 am

It will help your computer run better if you exclude ClamWin's program and data folders and the ClamWin temp files (clamav-*, if Avast will accept that) from Avast's scans. If ClamWin was a real-time scanner, you would have to exclude Avast's program and data folders (and its quarantine folder if in a separate folder by itself) from ClamWin's scans.

Regards,

JeromeK

Joined: 14 Mar 2012

Posts: 1

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 1:20 pm

I've been using Avast Free for a long time now and I've never had any problems with it, but this year I bought a BitDefender licence. It's expiring soon and I'll probably go back to Avast Free, along with ClamWin as they seem to be complementary.

Thanks for the tip!

With an occasionnal run of SpyBot, nothing could go wrong, right?...

GuitarBob

Joined: 09 Jul 2006

Posts: 4365

Location: USA

Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 4:33 pm

I would rather run Malwarebytes free occasionally instead of Spybot, unless your system is older than Windows XP. Spybot doesn't seem to have kept up with the competition for the last few years. They are attempting to catch up with a new version, but I don't know... Most AVs now include signatures for spyware (the most "popular" spyware anyway), so you probably don't need a dedicated antispyware program unless it has something the AVs don't.